Image producing system



A.. WEAVER ET AL IMAGE PRODUCING SYSTEM Jan. 5, 1932.

Original Filed Dec. 19 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet I|lll lllllll llllL llllII-Illll A TTORNEY Jan. 5, 1932. A A. WEAVER ET AL 1,839,361

IMAGE PRODUCING SYSTEM v Original Filed Dec. 19, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTORS A TTORNE Y with the invention. It will be opening -in PatentedJan. 5, 1932 UNITED STATES {PATENT 'oFFicaarm wnavna, or amount, mawYOBK, Ann mm a. ransom or-mnou- 'rmnn, rmw mnsnv, assrenons :ro mnarcan'rnmzrnoma m mneaarneonrm, A OF NEW YORK IMAGE PRODUCING SISTERApplication fled December 19, mas, sewn in. 881,598. Renewed lime 2a,1030.

. The principal object of our invention is to provide anew and improvedelectro-optical system for producing images in natural color. Anotherobject of our invention is to provide for analyzing the successiveelements of a picture into their true colors at the transmittin end,modulating carrier currents according y, and at the receiving endsynthesizing a ray of light by the received currents and 10 applyingitto reproduce the picture'approx- 'imately in its true colors. These andother objects of our invention will become apparent on consideration ofa limited number of specific examples ofpractice in accordanceunderstood that the invention is. defined in the appended claims andthat the'following descriptlon applies to these examples, which arepresented y'wayof illustration.

2o Referrin to the drawings, Figure 1 is a symbolic dlagram of suitableapparatus for the practice of our invention; ig. 2 is' a curve diagramshowing the intensities oi the component lights involved and therelative "25 responses of the severalphotoelectric cells and Figs.3.and.4= are respective diagrams o modified receivin apparatus.

Referring to p 1 1, be colored picture 11 is wrapped u on rum 13 placedbefore an the box-12. White light from lam 25 is focussed by lens 26 to,illuminate an e ement of the picture. The colored. light from thiselement is reflected to lens 14 and thence in parallel rays to'the threesmall mirrors 10, where the rays will be reflected to the respectivephotoelectric cells 15. The photoelectric cells 15 are especiallydesigned or equipped so that one of them is sensitive only to a band oflight in which red predomi- 4 nates, another to a band in which greenpredominates and another to a band in. which blue predominates. Thethree cells are designed tond in intensity of'curr'ent in accordancewlth the characteristics shown in Fig. 2. This figureshows characterstic curves represent the light transmission characteristics of thefilters 20 at the receiving station. The. hotoelectric cells and lightscreens can readl y be given these characteristics either by specialdesign of the cells. themselves or by using appropriate light filters.

Accor ingly, the currents in the respective circuits 16 to theamplifiers will vary in magnitude in accordance with the intensity ofthe light of the corresponding color. The amp ified currents will go torespective modulators where they will modulate carrier currentsgenerated by the respective oscillators: The currents will then bepassed through band filters and put on the line 17. At the receivingstation they will be separated by the respective' band filters andamplified and demodulated, so that in the circuits 18 there will begenerated electric currents correend. These currents in the circontrolrespective light valves transmittin cuits 18 wi 19 so that the quantityof light passingvvfrom eachsource 21 will proportional to'the intensitofthe respective current. The light passed y the light valves 19 goesthrou h the light filters 20 to'the lens 22. These 1- ters 20 have thesamecharacteristic curves, respectively, as shown in Fig. 2. The lens 22synthesizes at the opening of the screen 23 the rays received thereonfrom the filters 20. On the drum 24 there is a film adapted to developin colors, which ismovedlb'y means spending to those in the circuits16at the I v not shown in the drawings so ,as to synchronize the exposedpoint with the point that is' scanned in the picture 11.

Instead of rece ving the picture as i ndicated in connection with Fig.1, the separate lenses 22' may be'employed as in Fig. 3, each directingits corresponding beam of light on a respective synchronized film 24'.These films .24 may be ordinary films that develop in black and white.The received picture will then be made by directing light through thethree films separately and through three color filters eachassociated'with its proper film, so that the light will register on asingle receiv-' ing surface where the colors will combine to give thepicture as at the transmitting end.

Another modification is shown in Fig. 4. I

Here instead of sending the color com onents simultaneously in threechannels t ey are sent successively in one channel. The photoelectriccell 15 is combined with light filter 36 so that the resultantcharacteristic of the cell is pamchromatic. A filter 27, passing acertain color, say blue, in accordance with the correspondin curve ofFig. 2, is interposed as shown'and the entire picture is analyzed,

element' by element, for blue. The li ht valve 19 at thereceiving endwill then a1 ow light from source 21 to pass to film 24 according to theamount ofblue there is in the picture.

A film will therefore be produced with the amount of silver depositdetermined by the amount of blue in the picture. Likewise,

other films will be formed for other colors, each with its correspondingfilter at 27.

v When three primary colors are used the icture will eventually bereproduced .in co ors "as as in the original. To accomplish this, the

films may be used to reproduce the complete picture as explainedheretofore in connection with Fig. 3. 7

The three films, eachshaded in accordance with a respective primarycomponent colorf may be used to determine the application 0 the coloredinks in a three-color printing process, so that the color synthesis will.be

ducing a i on .. effected when the printing of a picture is com leted.

e claim: v 1. The method of transmitting and repro- Ipicture insubstantially its ori nal colors, w lch consists 'in filtering theigli't from successive points of the picture substam' tlally accordlngto the color sensitivity of the human eyei applying the component raysof primary co rays of light through filters having light transmissioncharacteristics correspondmg substantially to the. color sensitivity ofthe eye, to get those colors, controlling those rays of light byrespective light valves actuated ors to modulate respective carriercurrents, and at the receiving end applying rays of light transmittedbythe filters to get the picture in substantially is original colors.

3. A icture transmittingsystem comprising a p urality of photoelectriccells at the sending end, each sensitive to light of a particularprimary color, the relative sensitivity of said cells to light ofdifferent color corresponding to the color sensitivity of the eye, meansfor directing the light fromsuccessive elements of the picture on saidcell's, means for modulating carrier currents by said cells, and aplurality-of light controlling devices at the receiving end forsynthesizing the picture from such currents.

4. In a icture transmitting system, means to transmlt modulated carriercurrents in accordance with the component colors of the successivepoints of a picture to be transmitted, a plurality of light valves atthe receiving end each controlled by one of said carrier currents, meansto pass a beam of light through a light filter through each such lightvalve, each filter having light transmisslon characteristicscorresponding to. the color sensitivity of the human eye, and means tosynthesize the transmitted light element by element to reproduce thepicture in colors.

5. In a system for transmitting a picture in substantially its ori inalcolors, a plurality of photoelectric cel s each having a light responsecorresponding substantially to the color sensitivity of the human eye, aplurality of sources of carrier .cu-iilxent one for each cell means forapplying t e currents from sai cells to'modulate the respective carriercurrents, a receiving station, apluralit of light sources at saidstation corres on ing in nu'mber to the number of cells at t e sendingstation, a photo raphic recording device common to said light sources, ali ht filter between each light source and said device,

each filter havinga li ht transmissioncharacteristic' similar to t echaracteristic of a corresponding cell at the transmitting station, a liht valve associated with each filter controlle by the correspondingreceived carrier current for var ing the transmitted light in accordancewit the modulationso elementary area of the picture to control the.output of each of said cells, a receiving sta pictures. true 001- tion,means for transmitting the currents fromsaid cells to said receivingstation, a plurality of light valves at said receiving station one foreach of said cells, a light filter associated with each light valve eachfilter having light transmission characteristics similar to the lightresponse characteristics of the corresponding cell, a photographic w precording device common to said valves, and

means for synthesizing the light passed by said rays to be controlled byrespective light controlling devices, and integrating the controlledrays to obtain a record of t e picture in substantially its ropercolors.

8. The method 0 roducing an image of an object in substantially thenatural colors of the object which comprises illuminating elementalareas of the' o ject in succession with a single beam of light ofdifferent colors, difl'usely reflecting light from said areas,simultaneously receiving light reflected from each elemental area upona'plurality of stationary. color selective means, selecting light ofdiflerent colors by said means, and separately utilizing the selectedlight of difierent colors to set up electric currents.

9. Means for successively illuminating elemental areas of an object witha single beam of composite light and receiving means for receiving aportion of said composite light reflectedfrom each of said areas, saidreceiving means comprising means for selecting diflerent and overlappingbands of wave t and separately utilizing said selecte bands to set upelectric currents.

10. Means for successively illuminatin elemental areas of an object witha beam 0 composite light, and receiving means for receiving' a portionof said composite light reflected from each of said areas, said receiving means comprising means for selecting overlapping bands of wavelengths of sai composite light and for separately utilizing saidselectedbands to set up electric currents. 11. Means for producing animage of an object substantially in the same colors as the objectcomprising means for successively illuminating elemental areas of anobject with a single beam'of composite light, receiving means forreceiving a portion of said composite light reflected from each of saidareas, said receiving means comprising three separate means forselecting different overlapping bands of wave lengths of said compositelight,'and separately utilizing said bands to' set up electric currents,and means for separately amplifying and transmitting said.

currents.

12. Image producingapparatus comprismeans for successively illuminatingthe 1 elemental areas of an object with composite light, and apluralityof stationary devices "for receiving light reflected from said objectand controllin the production of electric current, each 0 said devicesdifferently'discriminating with respect to color flected light.

13. Means for producing 'anim'age of an object substantially in-the samecolors as the in said reobject, comprising three light. receiving 1means for settingup current variationasaid meansbemgselectlvelyresponswe to dlflerent wide and overlapping bands of wavelengths of light, and means for simultaneousobject, comprising threelight- ,receiving' means for setting up current variations, sai

'means' being selectively responsive'to diifer ent wide and overlappingbands of wave lengths of light, means .for simultaneously impressingupon saidmeans composite light from an elemental area of the object andfrom aligned elemental areas in succession, and means for separatelinipressin the cur rent variations produce by said ligfit receivingmeans upon channels individual thereto respectively for transmission tothe 'point where the image is produced. 7 Y

15.. Means for producing an image of an object substantially in thesame'colors as the object, comprising three light 1 receiving means forsetting up cur-rent variations, said means being selectively responsiveto different wide and overlapping bands of -Wave lengths of light, andmeans for simultaneously impressing upon said. means composite lightfrom an elemental area of the object and from aligned elemental. areasinsuccession, the sensitivity of said lightgreceiving means being greatestin the center of said bands and the maximum sensitivities beingrespectivelynear the center and the two ends of the visible spectrum.

16. Means for producing an image of an object substantially inthe samecolors as the ObJBCt, comprising means for illuminating elemental areasof the object in succession and light receiving means for receivinglight reflected from said object comprising at least three lightselective elements for setting up currents and for receiving reflectedlight at different angles from said object, certainones of said meansbeingselective of diflerent wide overlapping bands of wave lengths oflight.

17. Means for producing-an image of an object substantially in the samecolors as the object, comprising means for illuminating elemental areasof the object in succession,

light receiving means for receiving light relight, and means at areceiving station con-i1 trolled respectively by said light receivingmeans and each comprising a source of light and a light filter forsettlng up a beam of light having wave lengths Within the band in whichthe corresponding light receiving means is selective. i

In testimony whereof, we have signed our names to thisspecifieation this18th' day of December, 1923. I I

ALLAN WEAVER.

D'AVIDTG. BRANSON.

